Pressure reoiulaxor i



Oct. 23, 1951 H v1 PRESSURE REGULATOR FOR FUEL LINES Filed Aug. 26, 1949 INVENTOR. f/E/vm' L. VIN/N6 ATTO FYS fatented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE reassures iuzdumuoa ran renames Henry L; Vining, Dallas, Tex. Kppl'icatitin August "26, 1949, Serial No. 1125129 s'elaime (Cr st -=23) invention relates to [new and useful im= iii'ovi'nents in pressure regulator ream-e1 lines. 7 one object of the'inve'nuon is to provide anim= fir'dved pressure regulator adapted to be "connetted in the fuel line or an internal eombust ipn e'n'girie'ora burner or the like, for'oo ntrollingthe pressure and suppiy of liquid fuel to the motor carburetor or burner. g

An ther object or the invention is to rovide iir'iproved'means for automatically and positively controlling the r te of new or the liquid from an area in whi'chbbth the ressure and 'rate of supply var to an area in whioh th erateeif withdrawal is 'vai'i'abl, but wherein the pressure iS maintained on's'tant. I V i v g v Still another object of the invention 'is to pro: vide'an improved pressureregulato-r of small construction and light in weight, whereb-yitmaybe connected in the liquid 'fuel line between the fuel pump and t e qar uretororant emramme tionmotoi for the'purpose'ormaintaining a con staht iqw pressure of fuelfbeing supplied to said entr e, re a d' "i h ra ibjr' urn a the pressure-er the fuel being "disohaigedby the pump and of the rate at which said fuel isbeing need in carburetor. V I "still another object or-the invention is to "pro-- in "an improved pressur reguiatb'r having a b "and a bonnetebove the "bowlopen to at atmospheric pressure with a j'diaphr'a' 'm eisbosec therebetween and a conduit jdischarging '1" mid into the bowl, together With a "valife ball f6 trolling the supply of liquid to the bowlgin com-- bination with a conduit ed-acting 'f'with -the ball and {normally supporting the "diaphragm isfur'ged downward'lyby a 'coil' spring "confined "in i b n v V p -Ajonstruction designed to can-y outfthe invention "will be hereinafter 'despribd dgather with other features'of the invention. A v v} a t The invention will be more readily "fderstobii frema reading "or the following specifidat rid by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein 'an example of the inventionis shown,

and wherein: M

I "Fig l is a side "elevation-of a pressurer'gulator odns'truo'ted in accordance withjthe'inv' 'tion,

ig. 2' i's'an enlarged, horizontal, cross-sectional vi w taken on the line 2 2jofFig. l, M a

"Fig 3 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional "View tallerj oss settional 5'5 the drawing, the numeral l0 designates} cylindrical bowl having a fiat bottom H which surrounds a reduced'opening 12. A 0111) "I3 provided at its 'top' with an annular outwardly-directed flan'g'e f4, having a flat upper 'surfaee is attaohedtothe bo'ttom'H by'machi'ne screws l'5 A "fine mesh screen 16 is eonfin'ed between the hat 'surfaeesofthe'bottom n andthefiafiz'ejfl. The bowl has a flatan'nular top Supporting the annular margin of "a diaphragm IT. The dia'-' phragm is-held on the bowl by the annulairflan'ge l 8'o f a bonnet 19, secured inplace by machine sorews 21]. 7 I

The bowl is formed with a radial conduit 2] io'rmed integral therewithand provided with '3; du Et'Z'Z Closed at itsniner end andeCr eW-threaded at its outer 'endto receive a'nippl'e 23, "whereby fiiel 'may be supplied by a fuel line 2'4'con'neet'e'd' to 'said nipple. A port '25 "connects the bottom of. the cup near the inner end ofthe latterwith a "bore 26 through a valve seat 21. The "valve seat is adapted to receive upwardly movable valveball 28 housed in ,the bore 26, whereby the new of fuel from 'the'duc't 22 to the cup 13 is metered. g

The liquid fuel which is discharged from the bore '26 flows into the cup l3 and 'unwardly through the Screen 1'6, whereby most bf "the's'e'diment is restrained. The'liqui'd' fuel fills "the cup and thebowlandaets against the underside of the diaphragm IT. The fuel being und'er'so me pressure will lift the diaphragm when a predeterminedpressur'e is reached. A collar 21" is formed integral with theinne'r 'e'n'd'of the conduit TI and hasa bore '28 disposedco-axially 'o-fjthe bowl, cup and bonnet. A plunger 29'has a's1i din'g 'fit'i'n the bore 28' and ismadeintegra lwith the lower en'd'of a stem 30 A horizontaidisktl is secured to the lower end of the plunger by "a new: and is disposedinthe cup 13 so asto *suppoi'tthe ball 28. A flangedwashrtt engages the'upper side of the diaphragm, the 'central"por-' ti'o'nof 'whih' is 'supportedon a washer resting ohto'p 'of thecollan The stem has 'a*screwthreaded portion 35 at its'lower end adapted -t'o receive 'a nut 3 6 which is screwed down into the bottom of "a. spring cup'3 1 whereby the di'a 'phragm is fastened on "the upper endof the plunger A coil spring'surrounding the stem its'bOttOm supported inthe lower cup "31"and its upper en'd confined inarr inverted c'upor ca'p 39 which is disposed'i'n a'domean'ronnin the upper-par er the bonnet. Aplug ll' screwed ir'it'o thej'to'p o'f the domehas an axialbore 42 "in' whieh' the strn is'10osel'y' -disposed 's'o 'thalvthednteridr of the dome isat all times open to the atmosphere. By adjusting the plug 4|, the compression of the spring 38 may be controlled. After the compression of the spring is adjusted, the plug is held in place by wire seals 43 secured to the top of the plug and the bonnet l9.

It is obvious that the spring 38 is set to resist upward movement of the diaphragm l1 until a predetermined liquid pressure has been built up below said diaphragm. As the spring moves upwardly, its compression is increased and consequently the up and down movement of the disk 3| is controlled. The ball 28 being confined in the bore 26 and movable towards its seat 21, will meter the flow through the port 25. Screwthreaded openings 45 are provided in the bowl and closed by plugs 46. These plugs may be re-. moved and attachments made to the openings for testing the meter. Diametrically opposite the conduit 2| the bowl has an outlet opening 41 forreceiving a nipple'48 attached to the discharge line 49.

The pressure regulator has many'advantages. It is installed in the fuel line to the carburetor of an internal combustion engine and being in advance of said carburetor meters the supply of liquid fuel thereto. Since the common practice of motor manufacturers is to set fuel pumps at the lowest effective pressure, conditions arise where the fuel is delivered to the carburetor at too high a pressure. The fuel at pump pressure is delivered to the bowl Ill and acts against the diaphragm l1. By setting the spring 38 under a predetermined compression, it is obvious that as the pressure increases or'deereases, the diaphragm ll will be raised or lowered and the valve ball28 moved toward and away from its seat 21, thus metering the flow of fuel into the bowl and supplied to the carburetor. By this means, fuel is fed to the carburetor steadily and under constant pressure in accordance with the load under which the carburetor is working. Flooding of the carburetor and stalling of the motor at low speeds which is generally caused by unequal supply of fuel to the carburetor, is eliminated by this device which holds the pressure down tothe desired minimum and maintains a proper supply of fuel regardless of engine speed and operation of the fuel pump. The device prevents raw gasoline from being taken into the cylinders of the motor and diluting the lubricant.

The device may be used in various manners. If it is desired to use the regulator to feed a liquid from an overhead tank to a carburetor that is located at some lower level, and the conditions are such that a constant low pressure must be maintained in the bowl at all times regardless of the rate at whichthe liquid therein is being used, the. device may be effectively used. Under these circumstances, the hydraulic head of liquid in the overhead tank is continually decreasing as liquid is drawn therefrom, and hence the total pressure on the liquid flowing therefrom is constantly decreasing. The rate of flow of liquid from said overhead tank is variable, due to the fact that the rate at which liquid in said lower container is being used is not constant. However, it is required that the pressure on the liquid in said lower container must remain constant. By placing the device in the discharge line from the overhead tank and connecting the duct 22 thereto, the liquid will flow to the bowl and be successfully metered. Another instance is supplying liquid fuel to a gravity-type burner from an overhead tank. In order to maintain the burner at its maximum efficiency, the pressure on the fuel within the burner should be maintained constant regardless of the rate at which said burner uses fuel. Further, as the fuel is withdrawn from said overhead tank, the total pressure available gradually, but not constantly, decreases. automatically control the rate of flow of fuel to the burner and yet maintain a constant pressure within said burner.

Motor vehicles now in common use are equipped with fuel pumps which withdraw fuel from a supply tank, usually at a lower level than the carburetor and supply such fuel, ordinarily ,under apressure four pounds per square inch.

Since the fuel pump is actuated by the motor, the speed of the pump varies with the speed of the motor. In order to maintain a flow-chamber type of carburetor at its maximum efiiciency, thefuel should be supplied to the flow chamber at a constant low pressure that does not exceed usually one-half of one pound per square inch, regardless of the rate at which said fuel is being used by said carburetor. By placing the pressure regulator herein set forth in the fuel line leading from the, fuel pump to the carburetor, a constant'low pressure on the fuel in the chamber of the carburetor will be maintained automatically, irrespective of variations in pressure on the fuel being delivered by the pump and variations in the rate at which fuel may be used by the carburetor. It .will' be noted that the stem 30 extends above the plug 4| and a pressure recording instrument may be applied to said stem ora pressure gauge may be attached to one of the openings 45. The spring 38 may be adjusted when the meter is installed and thus satisfactory operation on each particular motor is assured.

The stem 30 may be'used to test the spring 38. The cup I3 and the screen or strainer 16 form a trap for sediment and foreign matter. The ball 28 in co-action with the seat 21, bore 26 and port, acts to dampen the pulsations of the pumped liquid.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pressure regulator including, an enclosure having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, a valve seatconnected with said inlet, a free and unattached valve ball arranged to engage the seat and to move relative thereto for controlling the flow through said inlet, a lateral support within the enclosure below the valve ball for supporting the latter, whereby movement of the support moves said ball with relation to its seat, a flexible diaphragm exposed to and actuated by the pressure of the liquid flowing past said ball, a vertical member depending from the diaphragm and connected with the support, a bonnet above the diaphragm on the enclosure, a stem extendin from the support and diaphragm throughthe bonnet, and a single resilient means surrounding the stem within the bonnet exerting a downward pressure on the diaphragm.

'2. A pressure regulator as set forth in claim 1, with a stop in the enclosure for limiting downward movement of the diaphragm to control the "It full open position of the valve ball.

The regulator herein set forth will 3. A pressure regulator as set forth in claim 1, wherein the upper end of the stem is exposed above the bonnet.

4. A pressure regulator including, a bowl hava liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, a conduit extending from the inlet into the bowl having a downwardly discharging opening provided with a valve seat therein, a cup secured to the bottom of the bowl, a plunger mounted in the bowl and extending into the cup, a lateral support carried by the plunger in the cup, a free Valve ball resting on the support below the valve seat and confined in the discharge opening of the conduit, a bonnet secured on top of the bowl, a diaphragm confined between the bowl and the bonnet and attached to the upper end of the plunger, a stem extending from the plunger through the bonnet, and a coil spring confined in the bonnet around the stem bearing on top of said diaphragm.

5. A pressure regulator as set forth in claim 4 wherein the conduit has an integral member at its inner end in the center of the bowl through which the plunger slides, the upper end of said member constituting a stop to limit the downward movement of the diaphragm.

6. A pressure regulator as set forth in claim 4, with an adjustable plug in the top of the bonnet through which the stem is loosely slidable to permit air to fiow thereby, a spring cup surrounding the stem on top of the diaphragm, a second spring cup surrounding the stem and abutting the plug, and a coil spring surrounding the stem having its ends confined in the lastnamed cups.

7. A flow meter including, a bowl having a liquid inlet in one side and a liquid outlet in its side spaced from the inlet, a conduit having a passage therein extending from the inlet into the bowl and having a downwardly directed outlet having a valve seat therein, a freely movable valve ball projecting into the outlet of the conduit and adapted to be moved upwardly to seat against said valve eat, a vertically movable member in the bowl, a lateral support extending from the memher and upon which the ball rests, a diaphragm across the bowl attached to the movable member, and a coiled spring in the bowl surrounding the movable member and acting downwardly on the diaphragm.

8. A flow meter as set forth in claim 7, wherein the conduit immediately underlies the diaphragm and limits the downward movement of said diaphragm.

9. A flow meter as set forth in claim 7, wherein the conduit outlet has a beveled valve seat and an enlarged bore therebelow larger in diameter than the diameter of the ball, whereby the ball is free to move laterally and seat itself.

HENRY L. VINING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numb-er Name Date 234,051 Moore Nov. 2, 1880 392,447 Meyer Nov. 6, 1888 1,833,944 Hull Dec. 1, 1931 2,103,576 Dockson Dec. 28, 1937 2,288,733 Nieseman July 7, 191 3 

